Space station may move to avoid passing junk

[September 27, 2012]  HOUSTON (AP) -- The International Space Station may have to move to avoid some space junk.

NASA said debris from an old Russian satellite and a fragment from an Indian rocket could come too close to the station on Thursday. The station would be moved Thursday morning if necessary, NASA said Wednesday.

There are three astronauts living at the orbiting outpost.

Space junk moves so fast that it can puncture the station. Engineers try to give debris a wide berth whenever something comes close. NASA said it didn't know the size of the Russian debris.

The engines of a European cargo ship docked at the station would be used to push it out of the way. A communications glitch prevented the craft from leaving the station earlier this week.

___

Online:

NASA:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/
station/living/index.html

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.